Anya Barton Book Three: Secrets of the Innocent
by crossMIRAGE19
Summary: "But, what if he was innocent?" Nightmares had been plaguing Anya Barton's dreams - the recent ones meddling with old memories. Meanwhile, mass-murderer Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban and he's after Harry Potter; as their friendship is put to test, old secrets began to resurface... and they aren't going to like it. At all.
1. Prologue

**I Don't own Harry Potter - may be the books or the movies. I am the proud owner of the Bartons and Rosenbergs though.**

**And Third year - ROLL ON!**

* * *

"_I _did _die, you know. It was a nightmare, honestly. Many people call it the McKinnon's Masacre. Since that day, I count the years as the time Thea Collins died_." - Natasha Rosenberg

* * *

"Padfoot, I don't think you should -"

"Shut up, James!" Sirius Black snapped, glaring at his best mate. They both were standing in one of the underground wards at St. Mungos. The light above them barely flickered, but it was not like if they needed it. The walls were made of concrete, and the nurses hadn't bothered to cast a warming spell on the hall. They didn't need it; the small plaque hanging above the entrance doors said it all.

They were both standing in the morgue, but they did not dare to mention it aloud. They couldn't do it after several tries.

"Sirius," it was Cassiopeia Barton who spoke. She looked tired and her dark robes were stained in dirt and blood. Dark curls hang around her face messily and her grey eyes - the same as Sirius', were bloodshot.

"Cass," he laughed in relief. "Cass, dear - tell Prongs here, that he's overreacting! Tell him that he -"

"- is right," finished his twin. "Padfoot, look, I came as soon as Moody let me. I was on the scene and it wasn't pretty. I still have to puke what is left."

"Did you see her?" said Black sharply.

Cassie sighed. "No. No, I didn't - but that doesn't mean -"

"- that she's dead! See Prongs? You're just being paranoid! No one is dead, no one is hurt!"

"_For God's sake_, Sirius - this is a grave matter!" snapped Cassie.

"Mate, we are not joking," said James Potter. His hair was disheveled and his glasses had small cracks on them. "They are dead - Marlene- her sisters -"

"Shut up. Shut up, you two don't know what are you talking about," said a distracted Sirius. "You both are just pranking me - _La la la la la la_!"

"SIRIUS!" James yelled, shaking his shoulders roughly. "I understand you're in denial, but _please_, listen -"

"NO!" roared Sirius, shoving off his mate towards his sister and making both of them fall on the floor. "You are _lying_! She swore to me that she wouldn't leave _ME_!"

And he ran away, ignoring the desperate calls of his name.

It was a bloody labyrinth, Sirius decided. Down forward, left, left, right, right, left, and it went on and on until he reached a pair of white doors. The room on which the unidentified dead were sent out. He didn't stop until his body collided with them and he staggered on his feet.

He was surrounded by eight tables.

He could see the tiny figures of the McKinnon's youngest heirs, their parents placed beside them. On the other side of the room, a long thin body that seemed to belong to a model had been placed near where Sirius stood, and from his spot, he could see the bloodied blond hair hanging off the table limply.

Further down, there were three more bodies and with a jolt, Sirius realized that only Mrs. Collins had been saved from the torture. Not being covered, the short red hair framed her heart-shaped pale face like a pillow of red feathers, a long gash running down one of her cheeks. Mr. Collins' sheet was already damped completely with blood. Dread began to fill his stomach as Sirius ordered his own body to walk down to the last table. With a flick of his wand, the sheets flew away.

Sirius bowed and let out his last eaten meal.

Thea Collins was beyond unrecognizable to the naked eye. There wasn't a single strand of her lovely red hair left; her bald head had been burnt into carbon, leaving the disgusting smell of burnt skin behind. Half of the face had been melted until the cheek bones were visible to the eyes - _literally_. Only a part of one of the cheeks had been left smooth, but it was red because of the heat the fire she had to bear. Her robes were glued onto her body like a second skin, making Sirius' stomach hurl again.

The only untouched object from her was a blue locket, having a pentagram with wing engraved with silver. Shaking eyes turned it around and he found himself staring at silvery words. The silent tears made him see nothing but blurs, but Sirius still could make out what out said.

_Liberum Arbitrium_

He laughed shakily. Free Will. Had it not been him that told her that when they were on their sixth year? When the great Sirius Black, womanizer of Hogwarts, declared his first serious infatuation?

Clutching the locket tightly, he let himself fall on his knees, scrapping them on the concrete floor and injuring them. Sobbing, he hugged his knees and rocked his body back and forwards, not caring if anyone saw him that way.

He felt a hand being laid on his shoulder. It was warm and it curled tightly on his black leather jacket.

"Remus is on his way," said a smooth male voice. It took a few moments for Sirius to realize that it was his brother-in-law who spoke. "I just sent a Patronus to him. He should arrive at any moment."

Sirius continued rocking. The black-haired young man could not do anything but watch as someone as strong willed as Black broke in front of his hazel eyes.

"She loved you," he finally muttered. "She still does, Sirius. You're everything in Rosely's heart."

And Sirius hated Alec Barton for that moment. Because of the way he spoke, it had given the Black boy hope.

* * *

"_PETTIGREW_! _PETTIGREW_!"

"_Transport him to Azkaban immediately_."

"_Without a trial_?"

* * *

"Evening, Minister."

"Er, evening Black," said Cornelius Fudge surprised, pulling off the bowler hat to clean off the sweat forming on his forehead. He stared at Sirius with an "Yes, yes... I just, came for the routine check of the cells."

"I know," said Black coolly.

"How had you been?"

With a grimace, Sirius shot him a look.

"Ask that again in twelve years, but for now... I am feeling _peachy_," he croaked. His eyes traveled down to Fudge's hand. He was holding a manila folder with the Ministry of Magic's seal and a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"D'you finish reading the newspaper, Minister?" the Minister shot him a scared look filled with distrust. Sirius couldn't blame him. "I would love to have that paper - you know, to do the crosswords. I miss doing those."

Had it not been that he felt too empty, Sirius would have patted his own shoulder. He could see the wheels on his head spinning in thought.

"Very well, Black," Fudge tossed the newspaper through the bars and with old forgotten reflexes, Sirius caught it. "It's today's paper," the Minister said uselessly.

"Thank you, sir."

And as Fudge left with the feeling that he had done the greatest mistake of all, Sirius flipped over the paper to the front page where a photo of a red-haired family was being shown.


	2. Birthday Strangeness

Whistling merrily, I cut the roses in Mrs. Darcy's garden. The day was absolutely lovely - grey and warm, with a chance of rain. St. Louise's Orphanage was very calm this summer, and at some point, I admit that I am responsible for it. Carol Davis, a fifteen year-old girl with blond hair and rather unusual suicide tendencies, had told everyone that last summer's earthquake had been my fault. I don't deny it - because my anger had won the best of me that day, but there wasn't any proof that I had something to do with it. And it sounded quite ridiculous for all the inhabitants of the building.

"_Psst_ - Anya!" a voice whispered. Tilting my head back, I saw Marie waving her hand energetically. I raised one on my eyebrows in puzzle. I slowly lowered the giant garden scissors on the wooden bench I was standing on and lowered myself onto the ground. Carefully, I pulled off the tattered leather gloves and put it in my pants pocket.

"What?" I whispered back. Since I had come back from Hogwarts, my irritation towards the blue-eyed girl had diminished majorly as I spoke more to her. Having been so focused on myself that last summer didn't let me realize that the girl was actually a sweetheart - when she wanted to. "I was working - and I don't want Darcy to get any excuses to _not_ pay me this time!"

"I found something," she smiled, as if what she had found was something secretive. By the way she was acting, it was possible.

I sighed exasperated at her. "Better be something worthy kid - I need the money."

Because I did not want to spend too much time in St. Louise's, I had started to get out of more to Little Whinging, occasionally visiting one of my best friends from Hogwarts, Harry Potter.

When we met, we both were too skinny and smaller for our ages. The only change I noticed last time I saw him was that he had grown taller, and his voice had deepened a bit. But unfortunately, after a phone call made by Ron Weasley - another friend -, his uncle Vernon told me to sod off.

"Believe me. It is." was the vague answer of Marie.

I followed her and walked out of the giant backyard of the Orphanage. Girls stared up at me as I passed but when I met their gazes, they hurried off like scared cats. I rolled my eyes.

* * *

"No way! No no no no no! I am not going to get on this mess!"

"Please, Annie. Nobody has to know - we will only take him upstairs to our attic, feed him and then we take him out again!"

"Marie," I hissed. "Have you seen the size of him? He's as big as you are! If not more! How do you plan to get him inside unnoticed?"

Marie pouted. "Annie please - I mean, look at him! Isn't he adorable?"

It was a matter of opinion. The dog looked like if it hadn't showered for months and its face was gaunt-looking, as if he had lived many things as a human would. But the black shaggy dog then barked and the effect disappeared. His eyes - a mesmerizing gray - looked up at me in a silent prayer, making me pity the poor animal. I almost succumbed - _almost_.

"Where did you find him, anyway?" I asked. "I have never seen this breed before - not with gray eyes at least."

Marie petted the dog's fur softly making him close his eyes in pleasure and wag his tail with a fast beat.

"I didn't find him. He found him."

Great, now she spoke of the dog as if it were a person.

"And where did he 'find' you?" I quoted sarcastically.

"He was taking a walk around Privet Drive. It is strange though, that you didn't see him before. You visit that Potter boy as constantly as you can," she teased. I felt my cheeks burning up but I ignored it.

"Oh, for Merlin's beard! Alright then, but if something happens I don't plan to cover you!"

* * *

I bit my lip in concentration, my pointing finger and my thumb slowly moving the buttons clockwise. I stared down hard at the small turquoise box that omitted static noises, my irritation growing higher and higher as I changed radio frequencies. Puffing my cheeks in annoyance, I let my eyes wander around the attic - only to find 'Snuffles' staring at me. I pursued my lips.

"What are you looking at?"

The dog didn't respond in any way. There was no wagging tail or hanging tongue - he just _stared_. For a moment, I thought of all the ways the dog would react if I waved my wand at him. I took another shortcut though.

"You are not dead, are you?" I flinched. "Oh god - I really need to get out of here. I've already started talking with _dogs_," I moaned. "Next I know, I will try to contact Malfoy," I stopped. "Okay, I am not that desperate."

"They say a step through madness is a step to reality," said a mild voice.

"Everyone in this place is mad enough, thank you," I said and turned around to face Marie. "Who said the first quote?"

She smiled serenely. "Me of course."

I rolled my eyes, a smile coming to my face. I couldn't help it; there were times when Marie could really amuse me with her logical nature.

"Have you tried tuning it to the right and then anticlockwise?" said the girl as she dropped down to her knees and placed a bowl in front of Snuffles. The dog had snapped back to reality when the blue-eyed girl arrived. I shook my head.

"Specifically where?"

"Try starting from eighty," she suggested. "Then move it down to thirty-four."

Slightly confused at the accurate instructions, I did what Marie said. There was an instant effect; as the red needle moved from eighty down to thirty, the small squared radio stopped making the static noises and I was met with silence, then a few white sparks flew from it and a baritone male voice filled the entire room.

"Breaking news! Famous mass-murderer Sirius Black has escaped from the Azkaban prison-"

"This is a Wizarding Wireless? I didn't knew they used radios as well-"

"Shh!" Marie hissed, putting a single finger up to her mouth. "_Listen_!"

"- Black is well know for the simple reason of killing thirteen people with a curse. The Department of Aurors have warned civilians to be on high alert; the official advice is to not travel alone, do always carry a weapon (may be of Muggle origin or a wand) for defense; parents should not let their children wander off to unknown places; and most important of all, this reporter would like to remember all that Black was as well You-know-who's second hand -"

I tuned it to another station. The voices of men singing a bit off tune had replaced the grim news and very subtly, I could hear Snuffles growling on his food plate. I ignored that.

"The way they talk of him," I shook my head. "It's like if they were marking him as the next Ted Bundy."

"Or the possible Mein Herr," murmured a distracted Marie, scratching Snuffles' ears as he oddly watched us silently.

"Sirius Black..." I tried to say it aloud, the name sounding a bit familiar to me. Had I heard of it somewhere at Hogwarts? "I think I've heard of the name before..."

"Who hasn't? The Black name is a taboo for the Wizarding World. I haven't heard from any of them since - well, as of now."

I raised an eyebrow. "You know quite a bit of Wizards, Mar."

She raised both eyebrows challenging. "It tends to happen when you grow up on a family full of them."

And there it was. That bit of information about herself that she had slipped as if merely talking bout the weather. Marie never talked about her past nor I had tried to pry on it; I could only assume that she had been recently orphaned (you have to, if you're living here), and that Natasha had fetched her. Clearly, I had been mistaken.

"So, you were saying about Black?"

The dog whimpered, putting its paws on his head.

* * *

Days passed and before I knew it, I already had turned thirteen years old. It wasn't anything special or something like that; it had been just Marie and I for all the morning - with Harry an hour later - and then Natasha arrived in the night.

She had informed that she would particularly be occupied all this summer and that her visits would be more scarce for the two months. I believed her.

Today was my birthday, and one of the scarce visits. Snuffles was still living with us in the attic, but I let him out once in a while. The whole day was a bit strange to me, and it all started with the dog's walk...

_"And here is Privet Drive," I announced loudly, raising my arms on each side of me dramatically. The dog kept looking at me._

_"I know. Very dull, isn't it?" I bit my lip and started walking. "Come on, we are going to a friend's house. Act casual, okay? Don't make any ruckus; His Uncle and Aunt are very obsessed with 'normality'," and I lead him down to the Number 4 house._

**ɑв ϟ нρ**

_"You have a dog?" said a surprised Harry Potter. His green eyes sparkled with the sun's light and I fell in love with the color. The only other pair of eyes I had seen like those before were that of Lily Potter's, Harry's mom. But from what rumors said, there was a bit of possibility that Harry had faerie blood._

_"No. It isn't my dog. Apparently, the pet found my roommate and followed her," I rolled my eyes. "And now it's me who has to deal with Snuffles."_

_Harry laughed, scratching the dog's ears. "Snuffles? Who names a male dog like that? Is more of a cat name."_

_In cue, the dog wagged it's tail and nodded his head vigorously. I laughed. _

_"Well, he seems to like you more than me, that's for sure. Had any surprises this week?"_

_Harry scratched his neck. He wore a sheepish expression. "Yeah. Ron called."_

_"Oh? What did he say? Hoepefully, you two just didn't talk about Quidditch."_

_"Hey!" Harry protested. I chuckled.  
_

_"So?"_

_"Actually, we didn't speak. Ron sort of... blew it?"_

_ I sighed loudly.__"What did he do now?"_

_When he ended telling me how had Ron yelled at his uncle Vernon through the telephone, I was already laughing hard. Clutching my stomach, I wiped a tear away._

_"God, he's such a good laugh. He always gets himself in this awkward situations -"_

_"Speaks the Queen of England," Harry snorted. "Remember when you turned Malfoy into a Smurf? Or when we both were kicked out of the library -"_

_I waved a finger at his face. "No, no, sir! That one was your fault! You shouldn't have walked near the Restricted Section."_

_"Alright, alright, there's no need to point it out," he chuckled. "But Anne, you seem to have forgotten something very important."_

_Feeling thoroughly confused, I bite one of my cheeks and start chewing on my lip. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes up._

_"I don't think the meetings with Voldemort exactly count, Harry," I told him seriously. His green eyes widened and he started to laugh._

_"Don't tell me you don't remember what day is today?" I stared at him blankly. Harry stopped caressing the dog's black fur; Snuffles was already looking at me too. "You really don't, do you? Annie - today it's your birthday!"_

_Oh, it clicked. "I forgot about it," I muttered sheepishly._

_Harry sighed. "Of course you would. Here -"_

_He shoved a small blue box into my hands, and I gaped as Harry turned all of his attention to Snuffles who seems to love it immensely. Wide eyed, I opened it and found a silver necklace with a small owl pendant. The Owl looked too much like his own snowy pet, Hedwig. The bird has its own wings crossed and he seemed to be staring up at me with diamond eyes._

_"It's..." I gulped. Turning it over, I barely felt my cheeks growing warmer and I almost touched them both to prove it, but I was too embarrassed. The small gesture had left me speechless, seeing as it had come from Harry. The very same Harry Potter, who was as awkward as I've been in our first year. It was too... sweet. I sigh sadly, thinking of the only gift I've ever game him, which had been an old crumpled photo of his parents in their school years. Comparing it with eye's mind, I kept adding all the things he has done for me, making the balance grow heavy on my side._

_Shaking my head, I said, "With this, I already owe you too much," and I prodded the small owl with one finger, my nail passing through all the small details. How much had Harry paid for it, anyways?_

_He looked at me with a small scowl. "You don't owe me anything, Anya."_

_I scoffed. "Of course I do. I owe you my life."_

_"And I owe you mine," Harry argued. "Remember Quirrell?"_

_"I try to not to, actually."_

_"Well, I do. I remember a small girl jumping through the blazing fire to save me," he smiled. It was sort of fixed but a bit rueful too. "We are somewhat tied."_

_I gave a small grin, falling silent and just watching as Snuffles chased some butterfly away. To my surprise, Harry began to sing._

_"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear Annie! Hap-"_

_"BOY!" a voice roared. It was a big, beefy man with a large purple face. Vernon Dursley's mustache trembled as he snarled in our way._

_"Umm, Happy Birthday to you..?"_

And that's how I got banned from the Durley's House... which I've never entered before at any time (if you didn't count the time the Weasleys and I helped Harry to escape). But I think what bothered most was the fact that Snuffles threw himself over at Mr. Dursley, almost teared off one of his legs and then made him chase around for his pants. I don't know if Harry was either punished or not, but I wasn't welcome to visit anywhere near Privet Drive.

The afternoon got more bored and I hadn't anything to do, not even work. Mrs. Figg was visiting one of her nieces and Darcy had actually begrudgingly giving me an entire day for myself. Bad timing they had.

But the strangest of all happened in the night...

_KNOCK! KNOCK!_

_I heard the door open downstairs and suddenly, all the Christmas lights on the ceiling went off. For a moment, I thought it was a prank of my long-time nemesis, Carol Davis, but when a soft voice called my name I sagged in relief against Snuffles and answered back with a complain._

_"You shouldn't be scaring me off, Marie!"_

_"Sorry Anne," said Marie quietly, her footsteps sounding closer as she came upstairs. "But we have a surprise for you."_

_"We - surprise? - What -?"_

_Snuffles sat straighter, his ears twitching up as the familiar voice of Natasha Rosenberg sang a Happy Birthday song. It sounded warmer than Harry's had been and I suddenly imagined Nat as my dead mother and Marie as the sister I could have had if Voldemort hadn't damaged our lives. I gaped as they neared and turned around the staircase handle, with Natasha carrying a small cake with thirteen candles and Marie clapping softly behind her._

_I felt the urge to cry in __happiness but I just conformed myself by sniffing and hugging Snuffles to my side like a stuffed toy. The dog was staring intently at my scarlet-haired guardian, his unusual grey eyes not blinking but looking glassy. Natasha placed the cake on my bureau and started to clap too, not ceasing to sing._

_"Happy birthday, Anya," they both ended. I laughed, jumping from my spot on the floor and hugged them both at the same time which made them stumble and end sprawled on the floor. We all laughed silly, sitting there like a trio of crazy lasses. _

_"Why the sudden surprise?" I asked grinning widely._

_"In our community, thirteen is a lucky number," explained Marie. "I thought it would be convenient for you because of your rotten luck on Hogwarts."_

_I already had stopped wondering how much did Marie knew about the Wizarding World a time ago, so I didn't feel suspicious of her as before. _

_A sudden whining brought y attention back and I saw a black fur flew by me and jump on Natasha's lap. Snuffles started to lick her face hastily, whimpering as he did so. Marie and I exchanged terrified looks; we had not told Natasha about hosting a dog in our room._

_However, as she became the object of attention to our newest inmate, the older woman didn't seem to be bothered by it. Instead, she sat laughing and smiling as Snuffles had his way with her._

_"Who is this guy?" she asked between small chuckles and almost instantly, the dog stopped. Slowly, he sat on his back legs and stared at her unblinking. If I looked more closer, I could swear there was hurt on his eyes._

_"His name is Snuffles," said Marie, not noticing how Nat had stiffened when she met the dog's eyes. "He was walking around Little Whinging and when Mrs. Darcy sent me to the grocery shop, I found him chasing some cat away near Privet Drive."_

_"Really?" said Natasha quietly. She didn't seem to be paying attention to us at all though; her blue-green eyes had been staring straight at Snuffles, almost as if she were talking to him telepathically._

_She finally said,__"He's very cuddly," but the smile she had on her face had disappeared. Only was left the silent woman I had met those seven years ago. _

_To dissipate any awkwardness, I grabbed the bag she had left on the floor. "What do you have here then? I hope is not a broomstick - I am afraid I couldn't afford to carry it through all the way to King Cross."_

_As I opened her purple satchel, a box with maroon and yellow wrapping rolled on the floor until it hit my feet. Curious, I grabbed it and found a small note glued on the maroon ribbon._

нαρρу вιятн∂αу αиуα  
Ʀ.ℓ._  
_

_"Who's R.L.?" I asked._

_Natasha frowned and once again, I saw Snuffles stiffen. Even Marie knew by now that something was going on. The scarlet-haired woman snatched the gift from my hands with a scowl and eyed the box with a scrutinizing eye._

_"I told him to not do this," she muttered._

_"It is safe, isn't?"_

_Natasha smiled and gave me back the gift with a fond shake of her head. "Yes. Don't worry. It's from an old friend of mine and your parents."_

_I sat up straighter, looking at her with a giddy expression. "Ready? What's his name?"_

_"Remus Lupin."_

_I could swear that Snuffles was going to faint, if not, rip the whole room with a snarl._

I hadn't known at the moment that I had just witnessed one of the most depressing encounters of all.


	3. Surprise, surprise!

**I don't own Harry Potter, only the Barton - Rosenberg characters and their back story.**

**Review Please! I am extremely desperate of internet contact!**

**... okay, maybe _that_ didn't sound alright...**

* * *

_Dear Annie,_

_I'm currently on a vacation on France with my family. The places around here are beautiful! I'll try to take as much pictures as I can for you, I know you love to draw them. Hey, did you hear that Mr. Weasley won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw? Ron and his family went to Egypt. I am so jealous; I bet he's learning loads there. I decided I'm going to rewrite the essay Professor Binns gave us._

_By the way, Ron may warn you of not calling Harry on telephone. Ron called and he shouted at Harry's uncle believing he couldn't be heard. Honestly, only him. Do you know what are you going to give Harry? I bought him a Broomstick Servicing Kit. I hope is not too much, but I reckon Harry needs to be spoiled a little on his life._

_Ron says he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Maybe Miss Rosenberg could convince your Matron to let you come. I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September first!_

_Love from France,_

_Hermione._

* * *

_Dear Anne,_

_Guess what? I went to Egypt! Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. I still don't believe it myself._

_I called Harry with the telephone and I think I shouldn't mentioned I was from Hogwarts, but Dad reckons I shouldn't have shouted._

_Anyway, here in Egypt is amazing. You wouldn't believe how much curses the old Egyptian wizards put in only _one _chamber._

_We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. If you met us here, then see you there._

_Try and come to London!_

_Ron._

_P.S. Percy's Head Boy. And Ginny says Happy birthday._

* * *

Days went by and before I could register it, it was Harry's birthday.

I didn't know what to buy him._ At all_.

I discarded many things such as Quidditch books, anything related to Quidditch, books in general, and basing from that, I got lost. Perhaps my sense of perception has disappeared - or like Marie says, I never had it; either way, I didn't have a single clue about what should I give Harry.

Hermione had bought him a Broom polishing kit and if I recall correctly, it was very expensive. Money was no trouble for me, seeing as there was a hidden vault in the depths of Gringotts Bank with my name on it, but I didn't have the way to travel there and besides, I wanted to buy something for him with my _own well-earned_ money.

In the end, it was Snuffles who chose Harry's present in one of the catalogs Percy Weasley had given me some time ago.

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow, looking up at Snuffles as he panted and I tried to remove his paw off the page. Once removed it, I saw that he had pointed at a small colored box.

"'Pandora's Box. filled with various objects for those just starting out in the art of the prank'," I shook my head whilst biting my cheek. "I don't know pal', I mean - this looks more of a _Weasley_ thing."

Snuffles whined, giving me "the look". I scowled, already knowing that arguing was a lost cause.

"Alright, alright, stop doing the puppy eyes. But I will give him something from _me_!"

* * *

_Dear Harry,_

_Thank the Lord Hedwig was flying around. Otto hasn't been looking well and I wasn't sure if he was up for a travel._

_Either way, Happy Birthday! I hope you have a good day and that the Durleys aren't keeping you down. Nothing has been happening around here - not that it is surprising. The only change has been Snuffles' constant staring - I already caught him staring at me or at Natasha with glassy eyes, even at the photo of us at Hogwarts! (You know, the one near our tree) And there's also the recent decaying of Otto's health. I hope he only has caught a cold and not something serious._

_As you probably have noticed, there are two presents enclosed in the package. One is from Snuffles and the other's from me. A bit confusing, isn't it? But the dog wouldn't stop whining until I bought it!_

_The other present is kind of girly - sorry 'bout that -, it's a lucky charm bracelet called Nazar. According to my roommate, the five eyes are supposed to protect you from misfortune caused by others. I know it's slightly creepy, but with your back history at Hogwarts, I found this pretty hilarious._

_It's sad to me that I can't go to a vacation like Ron or Hermione, but what can I do? Ron and Hermione are going to meet in Diagon Alley next week, I'll see if I can meet them too. I you go, then see you soon. If not, then see you at the station._

_Still bored,_

_A.B._

_P.S. Ron mentioned that Percy's Head Boy. There's no way he's going to shut up now._

* * *

_Dear Ms. Barton,_

_Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.  
__Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign. A list of books for next year is enclosed._

_Yours sincerely,  
__Professor M. McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Biting the side of my cheek, I took a deep breath and shoved the piece of parchment inside one of the pockets of my hot pink apron. What if she told me no? What if she laughed at me - or worse. What if Darcy made me do something I didn't want to? All because I just wanted my permission _signed_?

"Mrs. Darcy!"

Apparently, my want to go to Hogsmeade won. I winced, watching as the old matron turned from her "pleasant" conversation with the major benefactor of the Orphanage, Henry Lanster. Handsome and looking in the flower of his adulthood, I didn't understand why the man spent most of his time doing charities when he could be doing what bachelors normally did. He was handsome for starters - his golden blond hair had been cut into something stylish and he was wearing a black armani suit. But like always, what drew me in were his eyes; a green fern color. Maybe I have some fetish with green...

"Excuse me," I heard Darcy mutter to her companion, who just smiled at her and looked through the window where more girls played on the garden. "What?" she hissed down at me, her black eyes shining mutinously. I gulped, deciding it was better to look straight into those cold tunnels.

"I need you to sign something for me," I said. Darcy raised her eyebrows, clearly not impressed but looking nothing but annoyed.

"And what's that?"

"On my school, the third years are allowed to go to the nearest village. I need you to sign the permission for me."

Mrs. Darcy remained quiet. She crossed her arms across her chest, making her little burgundy jacket rise up and allowing me to see how it didn't fit her at all.

"What if I refuse?" she sneered. "Remember who's the boss here, Anya."

My eyes widened... only to roll them and smirk down at her. Yes, we both were the same stature height.

"Well," I started, dampening my lips as I thought how to drop the bomb on her. "I think that Mr. Lanster there -" the man was now looking over at us with an eyebrow raised. "- would like to know how you treat your _sweeties_. And I am not talking just about Marie and me."

And it was true. Darcy maybe had her own fetish with punishments because every girl who did not do what she was told, was immediately sent down to the cellar for three days.

Mrs. Darcy glared at me so deeply that there was a chance I was going to burst in flames. I just stared at her with an innocent expression.

"Rosenberg taught you well, kid," said Darcy finally. I shrugged. "Very well then - where's the damn paper?"

I pulled it out of my apron and handed it to her. I also was carrying a normal pen with me but I didn't bother to lend it over; Darcy already was pulling out the black onyx pen she had requested to be made for herself. With a sour look, she gave me back the parchment.

I smiled.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mrs. Darcy. You have the heart of a Saint."

* * *

"Hedwig!" I breathed, opening the window and letting the snowy owl enter. "You know, this isn't the right time!"

Marie was helping me pack everything that was from Hogwarts: my clothes, my books, my essays, quills, anything her tiny long hands could grasp at the moment. I jumped down from the bureau and grabbed a bunch of clothes - they smelled - and shoved them inside my trunk.

Hedwig squeaked, waving her wings until I finally stopped and glowered down at her. "What?"

Looking miffed, the owl extended her leg and waited for me to grab it.

_Dear Anne,_

_Can you look out for Hedwig a week or so? Uncle Vernon's sister is coming to visit and I am trying to act 'normal' while she's around._

I sigh in frustration, snapping the letter on the wall.

"Harry, you dumb-ass," I muttered. Looking at Hedwig, I said, "Sorry girl, but I will have to sent you to Ron. Is that okay?"

* * *

Natasha Rosenberg waited patiently on her seat, not looking at anywhere that wasn't her glass of Firewhiskey. The Leaky Cauldron looked dark and intimidating at night, but the scarlet-haired woman had been afraid of it for the past thirteen years. The seat in front of her scraped the floor loudly, a familiar male voice muttering an apology. The dim light allowed Natasha to see old shabby clothes, full of patches on the elbows and knees. His face wa spale and looked tired and if she remembered well, it had not been long that Full Moon had passed by.

"Hello Remus," greeted Rosenberg with a sad smile, watching as her old friend looked at her with tired hazel eyes. "How have you been?"

"Fair enough," said Lupin. "I take it you already know the news, then?"

Natasha raised an eyebrow.

"Which of them? But yes, congratulations at getting a job at Hogwarts. I always knew you would end being a teacher."

"What don't you know, Thea?" Remus sighed, rubbing a hand tiredly on his face. "How are you? With everything and then with Sirius -"

"I'm fine," she swiftly cut in, her green-blue eyes looking a little distant as well as her heart did. "I think. I certainly don't know how to react to Black's escape, but I can only hope he doesn't search for me or Anya." Natasha suddenly looked down at him sternly. "By the way, she loved your gift."

Remus had somehow managed to slip the package into her bag, and although it had been lovely to see Annie smile at the gesture, Natasha didn't feel reassured when she saw the lynx plush toy. Of course, the Barton heir didn't know that Remus was only delivering something that didn't belong to him.

"I'm sorry. I supposed that she would know everything by now," said Remus lightly. Natasha frowned.

"I don't even know _half_ of everything, Remus."

She stood up and Remus did the same as out of habit.

"Now if you excuse me..."

A hand shot down to her wrist, holding her back. Natasha winced, looking down at the red marks Remus' hand was making.

"Natasha," he growled. "Where have you been?"

She shot him a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"Before you came," he rasped. "Where did you come from?"

"You know I just came back from Surrey! Remus - stop, you're hurting me."

"You smell like... _him_."

"Him who?" said Rosenberg in panic, ignoring the stares they were getting around. Not letting go of her hand, Lupin raised a hand and as gently as he could, he grasped something from her black coat. Had it not bee for Remus' abilities, none of them would have seen the single black hair, looking a bit curly and shining like onyx on the dim light of the pub.

Her green-blue eyes widened.

"That's from Snuffles..." she breathed.

Remus looked up sharply.

"We need to go to Surrey. _Right now_."

* * *

Panting, both Marie and I dropped my trunk on the damp sidewalk.

"Not here," Marie hissed, pointing down across the playground. "Down there - it looks alone."

"Then help me carry Otto while I get the rest of my stuff - here."

The owl, if possible, looked worse than before. His eyelids fluttered close and open, with a few squeaky sounds coming out of his beak. More panicked than ever, I ran back at the entrance, where my backpack waited for me.

There were no lights as we walked across the playground, making it much difficult to see where I stepped. I often stumbled with rocks and at some point, I stumbled into the seesaws. Thankfully, Marie didn't have these problems as she carried poor Otto on her arms. Suddenly, I felt the hairs on my neck stand and I turned around - only to find Snuffles following quickly behind me. I groaned, and if I thought that couldn't be bad, it turned worst. The lights on the St. Louise's porch turned on.

With a small yell of rage, I ran after Marie, who already was walking farther away. Turning my head back, I saw that Snuffle was no longer

"I need to disappear, as of now!" I exclaimed.

At the front, Marie said, "What we need is a transport. A magical one."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, sure. Like if I had any idea of that!"

"Fortunately for you I -"

Marie stopped short. Panting, I followed her gaze and my mouth dropped open. Parked a few meters of us, was a triple-decker, violently purple bus. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled _The Knight Bus_.

"Oh. Someone has already summoned the Knight Bus," said Marie expressionlessly. I shot her a look.

"You don't say?"

"Hurry up, before it goes."

Nodding, I ran down like a crazy person, my trunk thumping loudly behind me as my backpack bounced with each large step I took.

"Wait!" I yelled. "Wait, wait, wait!"

* * *

I bit my lip, not looking at anywhere but glowering down at my lap, in which Otto trashed soundly.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me you where going to the Leaky Cauldron, too," I grumbled.

Harry - who was going to be Neville during the ride - rolled his eyes.

"It wasn't planned. I've already told you; something happened."

"Be as it may be," I said, "you should have informed me. Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do, Anya!" said Potter exasperatedly.

Stan Shunpike, a teen of nineteen years old with pimples, sniggered at our spat. We both turned to glare at him and hastily, he unfurled a copy of the_ Daily Prophet_. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at us from the front page. He looked strangely familiar.

"That man!" said Harry suddenly. "He was on the Muggle news!"

I frowned, narrowing my eyes at the sorrowful face of the paper.

"Sirius Black," I announced, feeling like if a light bulb had been turned on inside my brain. Shunpike nodded.

"'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Neville. Where you been?"

"He was _too_ busy forgetting I existed," I muttered. With a smug chuckle, Stan handed the paper to Harry.

"You oughta read the papers more, Neville." Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and as he read, I watched Sirius Black's face, which looked like a vampire; void of life.

"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had caught me staring at the photo. I nodded uncertainly.

"He murdered thirteen people?" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?"

"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"

"Ar," said Ern darkly from the driver's seat.

Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, watching both Harry and I.

"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said.

"What, Voldemort?"

"You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?"

"Sorry," said Harry hastily. "Sorry, I — I forgot —"

"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast…"

"So — so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Harry prompted apologetically.

"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say…anyway, when little 'Arry Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo" — Harry nervously flattened his bangs down again — "all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over.

"Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper.

"What?" I asked.

"_Laughed_," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' _laughed_. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"

"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you…after what he did…"

I gulped, remembering that one year ago, I could have ended there.

"They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said 'ad 'appened, Ern?"

"Gas explosion," I said, drawing surprised looks from the males. Ern slowly nodded.

"An' now 'e's out," continued Stan, as if I had not spoken. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"

Ernie suddenly shivered. "Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles."

Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and Harry leaned against the window of the Knight Bus. I myself, just sat petulantly on one of the beds, petting Otto gently.

"'Ear about that 'Arry Potter? Blew up 'is aunt! We 'ad 'im 'ere on the Knight Bus, di'n't we, Ern? 'E was tryin' to run for it…"

"You planned to not tell me or what?" I hissed to him. "You blew up your Aunt? Why I am always the last one to know!"

* * *

Natasha and Remus ran down to Privet Drive, feeling more desperate than before. Both had encountered Marie outside of the Orphanage and the girl told them that Anya had gone to Diagon Alley, all because her owl had gotten _sick_. The girl also mentioned that they had found an old friend of Annie's at the _Knight Bus_, apparently escaping too from his place. Natasha had asked restlessly about their dog, Snuffles, whereabouts, but an odd expression's had crossed Marie's face and she said that he hadn't been around for a while. It had been a lie, but there was nothing the two adults could do to get the truth out of her.

With a lurch, Remus realized that there was a chance that it had been Harry, James Potter's son, who probably had run away. Had not Dumbledore told him that he was going to be sent to Lily's sister? He made act of stepping forward but Natasha stopped him.

"No! Wait!" she grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him back. "Those are Ministry Officers. Something must have happened here."

Remus looked back at Privet Drive in worry, watching as uniformed men with robes marched inside and out of the house.

"Do you think it was Harry, then?" he shook his head. "Never mind that. He's his father's son after all."

"And Anya is as bad as Cassiopeia was," retorted the scarlet-haired woman in panic. "Put those two together and you get a time-bomb!"

Remus looked up at the fat floating woman, a fleeting memory flashing through his mind of what Anya Barton had done last in her summer and at Hogwarts. Thea was right, he thought amused, that both Harry ad Anya were too much alike their parents. With Sirius Black on the run, he felt one of the corners of his mouth raise into a small smirk.

"May as well say it now: they are both doomed."


	4. Diagon Alley

Staggering on my feet as I walked down the two steps off the bus, I groaned, putting one arm around my stomach and feeling like I could throw up at any second. "I will never, _ever_, take this damn bus _again_."

Harry, who had followed from behind and then rested his forehead on my shoulder to take a deep breath, commented sickly.

"Me either."

I jumped when Stan dropped my trunk carelessly on the damp sidewalk.

"Hey, watch it!" I snapped, drawing Otto closer to me.

"Well, bye then!"

But Stan wasn't paying attention to us; he was looking at the shadowy doorway of the Leaky Cauldron, his eyes bulging out of his face.

"There you are, Harry," said a voice. It was a little old man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looking cold and exhausted as he turned a bowler hat in his hand.

"Blimey!" Stan shouted. "Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere! What didja call Neville, Minister?" he said excitedly.

I spluttered. "Minister?"

"Neville?" repeated the Minister with a frown. "This is Harry Potter."

"I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully, making me want to cover m ears in irrtation. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'is scar!"

"What took you so long?" I said in annoyance.

"Yes," said the Minister testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now…" Suddenly Harry was steered inside the pub, and he threw a desperate glance at me. I shrugged and followed them, dragging my backpack and my trunk with me. A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord.

"You've got him, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"

"Perhaps a pot of tea," said the Minister, who still hadn't let go of Harry.

There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly.

"'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville?" said Stan, beaming at Harry, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder.

"And a private parlor, please, Tom," the Minister said pointedly.

"Bye," Harry said as Tom beckoned the Minister to the passage that led from the bar.

"Bye, Neville!" called Stan.

"Anne, you should -"

I raised a hand. "No, Harry. This is apparently private. If the Minister wants to tell you something 'alone', then go with him. Besides, I need to go to Diagon Alley."

I smiled at him.

"See you tomorrow, wonder boy."

* * *

"He has lived a long life, haven't you dearie?" said the woman behind the counter. I had gone directly to the Magical Menagerie after booking a room in the Leaky Cauldron and later asked Tom the directions of a pet shop.

"Since when do you say he's acting like this?" the woman asked, looking down at Otto with a pair of heavy spectacles.

"The beginning of the summer. At first I thought he only caught a cold but..." I waved a hand.

"How old is he?"

"Dunno. He's a Hogwarts owl actually, but he got attached to me and I was permitted to adopt him." I've never asked if he was allowed to come with me, but no one bothered to argue

"Does he have any powers?"

I blinked. "Not that I am aware."

After a few more examinations in which I was reminded of a Muggle scientist, the witch finally sighed and looked glumly at me.

"I am very sorry, dear, but it seems this creature doesn't have any much time left."

My moth fell open. "Wh - what? Are you telling me there's nothing that can help Otto?"

The witch shook her head. "I am afraid not. He will die of old age though. I can only presume he's around twenty years or so."

I sighed mournfully.

"What will I do without you, Otto?"

* * *

"_Dear!" exclaimed the woman. I heard some heavy and quick steps coming toward us._

"_He knows," it was a man and he was breathing heavily. It seemed that the woman understood what he meant because she gasped._

"_But – that's impossible! Their secret keeper –"_

"_The idiot changed it," the man said angrily. What were they talking about? I suddenly felt little drops in my forehead._

"_I have to warn them," the woman mumbled. I feel like if they were moving and I realized that she was holding me. She put me into the man's arms._

"_No, it's too dangerous."_

"_And who's gonna do it? You have to keep protecting Frank and Alice." _

_The man gave a desperate sigh. _"_Listen –"_

"_NO! Listen to me! He's my friend and they need help!" she exclaimed angrily. I started crying, but they didn't pay me attention._

"_My friend is there too and yo don't see me fighting you for it!" retorted the man, hurt._

"_That's why I need to Godric's Hollow, before…" she didn't finish. "Alec... I don't want them to die..."_

_A heavy silence settled between them._

"_Okay," the man nodded heavily. "Okay. You know what to do. I'm going to be with Frank, Alice and little Nev in the Arx's Cathedral. Be careful."_

_The woman sniffed. "I'm always am. It's me you're talking about."_

_"Maybe that's why I worry..."_

KNOCK! KNOCK!

I woke up abruptly, my head raising in alert and scanning the unknown surroundings.

I sigh. Another dream. Thankfully it hadn't been a nightmare.

"Anne! Wake up!" said Harry behind the door.

"Coming!" I groaned.

* * *

"Isn't it amazing?"

"I heard from the owner the other day that the Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties," whispered dramatically a boy.

"They use them only in the World Cup!"

Even if I completely tried to ignore Harry and Ron in their Quidditch rants, I know understand Ron's obsession with brooms.

_** THE FIREBOLT **_

_THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART RACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND-NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND INCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM. PRICE ON REQUEST._

I whistled low. "How much would it be 'price on request'?"

Harry shook his head. "I certainly don't want to know," but despite his own words, Harry didn't stop staring at the Firebolt.

I was surprised to see that the bookshop window was, instead of the usual display of gold-embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.

"Please tell me that -" I pointed at the cage. "- isn't in our booklist."

"Hagrid sent me one of those," said Harry. "He said it would come useful." I scoffed.

"It will if it doesn't eat us first!"

We both entered the shop and without warning, the manager was already hurrying to us.

"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"

"Yes, we need —"

"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, shoving me a little aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.

"Hang on, I've already got one of those," Harry said quickly.

"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning —"

"But I still need one of those," I said loudly. The manager let out a small whimper.

I must say, the manager fought bravely, but otherwise the book won. The stick didn't last two seconds as it disappeared in the book's mouth: the gloves ended badly ripped. With a little help from Harry and I, we both used one of the thousands rolls of Spellotape he had in his desk and the book shook silently in protest. I hope it lasts because… well, I don't want to imagine it.

"I'm never stocking them again, never!" said the manager panting. "It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the_ Invisible Book of Invisibility_ — cost a fortune, and we never found them…Well…is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Yes, we need _Unfogging the Future_ by Cassandra Vablatsky," said Harry.

"Ah, starting Divination, are you?" said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading us into the back of the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune-telling books, such like _Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks_ _and Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul_.

"Here you are," the manager grunted, climbing down from a set of steps. "_Unfogging the Future_. Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods — palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails."

I nodded, gazing down at the single eye in the middle of the cover.

"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly to Harry, who was looking at _Death Omens — What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming_. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death."

"You haven't seen enough then," I said, grabbing a copy of the stack. The dog on the cover looked remarkably the same as Snuffles. "How much does it cost?"

"Are you going to buy it?" both males stared at me in disbelief. I looked between them with a raised eyebrow.

"It isn't PG rated, is it now?"

* * *

"But Annie -"

"Don whine on me, Harry James Potter!" I scolded. "Besides, using my nickname won't coax me at all."

We were just eating breakfast down at the tables in the pub. I had brought down the Death Omens book an propped it on a little salt bottle and read each passage briefly before giving a flick to the next page. It had a lot of interesting facts and I was starting to get more and more roused as my eyes scanned down the paragraphs, stopping for a moment to gaze at the small drawings they had on the sides.

"Just tell me where did you find Snuffles and I will stop complaining," said Harry annoyed. I felt the corner of my mouth quirk up bit, but I sighed and played with my sausages.

"I've already told you many times, Marie found him strolling around Privet Drive and he seemed starved. So she just brought him to our room and fed him," I let the fork fall on the table gently. "That's all."

He didn't seem so sure. Harry kept shooting me wary glances and on one time I caught him staring at the cover of the book. Narrowing my eyes, I turned it around and saw if there was something on it. Nothing, only the huge black dog's yellow eyes staring back at me. I felt as if a light had been turned on inside my head.

"Is this because of the Death Omens?" I asked, sounding pissed off and looking at him with a glare full of disbelief. He must be raging mad to compare Snuffles to _this_ dog.

But Harry avoided my eyes and didn't speak a word.

I didn't feel hungry anymore.

* * *

The next few days were uncomfortable. Although I went at his house plenty of times, Harry and I weren't used to spend time together - or just the two of us. There was always Hermione and Ron trailing besides us and arguing, looking as if they were the life of the group. Sometimes, I just blame it on Harry, but then again, he wasn't used to be around girls at all. As far as I know, only Hermione and I had spoken to him.

Still, we stayed together and wherever we went, we both looked out for Hermione and Ron. In Diagon Alley, a lot of Hogwarts students came, because the term was so near. Like Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, both fans of Quidditch, or Neville Longbottom , whom apparently made a mistake in his booklist and his grandmother almost ripped off his ear.

We didn't stay long for a chat.

Also the news of Sirius Black flew quickly around here. They were posters around, nearly at least one in every store.

Once in our tours, I had whistled in amazement, having seen seven posters on a row.

And although I had liked the _Firebolt_, I wasn't as obsessed as Harry. Each morning we went to Diagon Alley and just stared at through the window.

This morning wasn't different.

"Hey," Harry started, massaging his back neck. "Do you want to lunch?"

"Sure. Whe –"

"Annie! Harry!"

They both were sitting together. Ron's freckles seemed to be more noticeable than before and Hermione's skin looked very tanned.

"Finally!" Ron said, grinning at the two of us as we sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd both left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and -"

"We got all our school stuff last week," I explained.

"And how come you knew we're staying at the Leaky Cauldron?" Harry asked.

"Dad," Ron said simply. Mr. Weasley worked at the Ministry of Magic, and that pretty much summed it all.

I took a long slip of my Pumpkin juice, just as Hermione said, "Did you _really_ blow up your aunt, Harry?", making me snort and start choking.

"I didn't mean to," Harry said while Ron laughed, either at his misfortune or mine. "I just — lost control."

"It's not funny, Ron," Hermione looked at us sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."

"So am I," Harry admitted. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" Ron shrugged, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"

"Really?" I gasped out. Hermione nodded, beaming at us.

"Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."

"Excellent!" Harry said happily. I gently massaged my throat with a wince. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"

"Look at this," Ron said, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books -" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those _Monster Books, _eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."

"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I?" Hermione said. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies -"

"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" Ron said, rolling his eyes. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," Hermione said earnestly.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" Harry asked while Ron sniggered. I rolled my eyes.

"At least someone plans to pass this year," I bit out. "It is her decision if she wants to study to death."

Hermione scowled. "Thanks for the moral support."

I bowed my head mockingly. "What are friends for?" She shook her head fondly and checked inside her purse.

"I've still got ten Galleons. It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice _book_?" Ron said innocently. I threw him an annoyed look.

"No, I don't think so," Hermione said composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig, Annie has Otto and you've got Errol –"

"I haven't," Ron interrupted quickly. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of us. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."

I leaned back and looked at the rat with contempt. I've never been fond of Ron's pet but he certainly looked worn out.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," Harry said. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."

So they paid for their ice cream and we crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.

Now that I entered by daytime, I noticed there wasn't much room for the four of us. All the walls were cover by smelly cages, their occupants making different sounds. The same witch from the other night was attending another costumer by the counter. As we waited for our turn, I started to check what I didn't notice before; there were a pair of purple toads gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.

Ron approached immediately when the other wizard left.

"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."

"Bang him on the counter," the witch said, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.

Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better look.

"Hm," the witch said, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"

"Dunno," Ron said. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."

"What powers does he have?" the witch asked, examining Scabbers closely. Powers?

The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.

"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.

"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," Ron said defensively.

"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," the witch said. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these -"

She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again. Ron muttered, "Show-offs."

"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," the witch said, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.

"Okay," Ron said. "How much - OUCH!"

Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" the witch cried, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Harry followed, leaving Hermione and I in the shop with the witch and the creature.

It was a cat. Enormous, ginger, thick fluffy fur and a squashed face. The witch had grabbed a hold of the feline and was scolding him, and he merely looked grumpy.

"Bad Crookshanks, bad," she sighed, turning to Hermione and I. "I'm sorry about your friend and his rat. Crookshanks was trying to get attention. He'd been here for ages and no one's shown any interest in him whatsoever." She picked the cat up and turned to put him in a cage.

"Wait!" Hermione said quickly, stepping forward.

* * *

"You _bought_ that monster?" Ron asked, his mouth hanging open.

"He's _gorgeous,_ isn't he?" Hermione said, glowing.

_If you looked to the bright side, maybe_. Harry looked at the cat curiously.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" Ron said.

"You mean Scabbers," I muttered.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" Hermione said, petting him. Crookshanks purred loudly in her arms.

"It can be that bad, can he?" I said.

"And what about Scabbers?" Ron hissed, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," Hermione said, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand.

"And stop worrying, Ron. He's going to be in our dormitory with us," I said.

"And Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."

"Wonder why," Ron said sarcastically as we set off toward the Leaky Cauldron.


	5. Off to the Real World

When we walked inside the Leaky Cauldron, the first person we saw was Mr. Weasley, a man with balding red hair. He was reading the _Daily Prophet_ but looked up when he saw us enter.

"Harry! Anya! How are you two?"

"Fine, thanks," we said together, making my lips twitch in a brief smile.

Mr. Weasley put down his paper, and I saw the gaunt face of Sirius Black staring at us.

Harry pointed down at the photo. "They still haven't caught him, then?"

"No," Mr. Weasley said, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" Ron asked. "It'd be good to get some more money -"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," Mr. Weasley said, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words." Looking down at Black, I felt a shiver run down my spine and I slowly shook my head.

"I wouldn't bet on it, Mr. Weasley," I said unconsciously. He didn't answer though, because his wife just arrived at the exact moment.

Mrs. Weasley was carrying a lot of bags, but Fred and George, both famous pranksters at Hogwarts, seemed to be carrying the heavy stuff. Following behind them was Percy, newly elected Head Boy, and the youngest of the Weasley clan and only girl, Ginny.

Perhaps it was because she had a crush on Harry since she met him, but the moment she noticed him, Ginny muttered a quiet "hello" and walked past him to jump on my arms, giving me a more cheerful greeting than she did to Harry. I smiled and returned the gesture, thanking her for the postcards she had sent along Ron's letters. From all the Weasley family, I was more closer to her than her brother.

"Harry, Anya," said Percy offering a solemn hand. "How nice to see you both."

"Hello, Percy," Harry said whilst I just nodded curtly, knowing that if I opened my mouth I would probably offend the most stuck up of the Weasley Clan.

"I hope you're both well?" Percy said pompously, shaking hands. It was like meeting Dumbledore all over again, but in a complete parallel universe where he wasn't fun.

"Very well, thanks -"

"Harry, Anya!" Fred said, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply _splendid_ to see you both -"

"Marvelous," George said, pushing Fred aside and seizing my and Harry's hands in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."

Percy scowled. I just rolled my eyes at them, remembering that I wasn't so fond of the twins because of their pranks on me when I was on my First year.

"That's enough, now," Mrs. Weasley said. "Mum!" Fred said as though he'd only just spotted her and seized her hand too. "How really corking to see you -"

"I said, that's enough," Mrs. Weasley said, depositing her shopping in an empty chair. "Hello, Harry, Annie, dears. I suppose you've both heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride.

"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.

"I don't doubt that," Mrs. Weasley said, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made either of you prefects."

"That would be like asking to destroy the school in one day," I muttered to Ginny.

"What do we want to be prefects for?" George asked, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."

Ginny giggled.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily.

"He got that right," Ginny whispered on my ear. "There's still Bill and Charlie." I snorted.

"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," said George with a heavy sigh. "But Mum spotted us."

* * *

Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasleys, Harry, Hermione and I ate our way through five delicious courses.

"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" Fred asked as we dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.

"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," Mr. Weasley said.

We all looked up at him.

"Why?" Percy asked curiously.

"It's because of you, Perce," George said seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hood with HB on them -"

" - for Humongous Bighead," Fred said.

Everyone, except Percy and Mrs. Weasley, snorted into their food. I grabbed a napkin to clean my chin.

"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.

"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," Mr. Weasley said, " - and as I work there, they're doing me a favor -" His ears had gone red.

"Good thing, too," Mrs. Weasley said briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground... You are all packed, aren't you?"

"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," Percy said, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.

After we ate, everyone walked to their rooms, looking sleepy and tired. I changed my clothes and after gently massaging Otto's wings, I went to bed.

The moment my head fell on the pillow, my eyes closed.

And I began to dream.

* * *

_A woman with red hair smiled down at the occupier. Her green emerald eyes shone with happiness as she cooed down at a baby._

_"Wouldn't it be wonderful if little Annie and Harry got married in the future?" she said. "It would be like a romance novel!"_

_"Now now, Lily," a man with grey eyes and black curly hair came into view."As much as I love little Prongslet here, he has to get past Uncle Padfoot to get my niece's heart."_

_"Oh shut it, brother," said a woman identical at him. There was a sophisticated air around her that left me breathless. "Don't scare off my daughter's suitors. She already has broken our record, though! She's not even one year old and already has the Longbottom's son and Harry behind her!"_

_Padfoot grunted._

_"Where's Moony by the way?" he asked. A man who could be Harry's clone came over with a baby boy on his arms._

_"Says he feels ill," he muttered. "He hasn't come by – what, three weeks?"_

_"Leave him alone," said the same woman. "If he doesn't feel okay, then he doesn't feel okay. It must be really hard to get a job whilst there's a war outside."_

_"Yeah," James Potter nodded. "You are right, Cass."_

_The woman shot him a look. "I'm always right."_

_"You just sounded like Sirius, darling," said a different male voice. The baby was suddenly lifted and started giggling, waving her tiny hands down at his face. It was a copy carbon of Tom Riddle who smiled at her._

_"We're going to take that as a compliment," both twins said in unison._

**ɑв ϟ нρ**

_With the roosters' blood, Anya started to paint with one hand a long line. The crimson substance made her stomach hurl, but the cloth on her mouth prevented the smell to get through her nose. She had to stand on her tiptoes to start writing above and let some space to write down. Soon, the long lines started to get form and finally, a message was left._

_THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN_

_OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE._

**ɑв ϟ нρ**

_Instead of looking at Quirrell, I found myself staring over his shoulder. Perched carefully on the middle of the circular room, was the mirror of Erised. I gasped when I saw the reflection. Having been on a rush of adrenaline, I hadn't noticed that Quirrell wasn't wearing his turban._

_I wished he did._

_On the back of his head, there was a face. It mostly resembled a snake, but I was fifty percent sure it was human. He didn't have a nose; instead, he had small nostrils that only reptiles had. And his eyes… oh god, those eyes were truly terrifying. They were as red as blood, as red as Natasha's hair was. And they held such a hate and hungry that scared me out of my guts._

_Trying to move away, I wildly noticed something._

_My whole clothes were on fire. And so was my hair. But the flames didn't consume me at all. They just seemed attached - __glued __- to me._

**ɑв ϟ нρ**

_A maniac laugh. Feminine and distinguished. A woman with the same set of black curls as the twins pointed her wand down to a man. Her hand shook slightly, but the expression on her black eyes didn't change._

_"Why..." she growled. Her head tilted to one side and she took a step back. "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST DROP DEAD?!"_

KNOCK! KNOCK!

My eyes opened. My body felt too hot and my neck was wet, my hair drenched in sweat. Blinking at the harsh light entering through the window, I passed a hand on my face – drawing back absently, I frowned at the water on the palm. It was both full of my sweat and tears.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

I stood up shakily, walking monotonously and opened the door slowly.

"Alright there?" it was Ginny, she already was wearing her Muggle clothes, her trunk held tightly behind her.

I nodded. She narrowed her brown eyes at me.

"Yes. I will be."

* * *

"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to us. We already were walking in the hallway of the Hogwarts Express; children walked past us, others leaned half their bodies outside the windows to wave at their parents. I briefly remembered that Natasha had only once came to wave me away. Had it been two years ago from that? It seemed much longer to me.

"Go away, Ginny," Ron said.

"Oh, that's nice," Ginny scowled at him.

I turned to her with a resigned smile. "We'll see you at the carriages, if that's alright with you."

With a subtle glance at Harry, I looked back at her with a serious expression. Although it went unnoticed by the others, Ginny immediately understood. She gave me a small wave and turned around to walk away.

"How did you do that?" said Ron in awe.

I shrugged, tightening my grip on the strap of my backpack.

"Girl power."

Ron scoffed. "That's ridiculous!" I sighed, patting his shoulder roughly. He stared at me confused and a wary. I didn't blame him one bit.

"Dear Ron, minds like yours will never understand the persuasion of a female entity," I declared solemnly. Smirking, I went off, with Hermione catching up with me and we both snickered quietly.

"What was that?" I heard Ron say.

"Women," Harry told him, sounding as if the word explained it all.

Apparently, it did. Both caught up with us and we started looking through compartments. The only free one was at the end of the train, but even so, it was occupied by one man. He was sleeping next to the window. He wore a set of shabby wizard robes, full of patches and rugged. At a more closer look, I saw that he was young, but his light brown hair was fading to gray and he looked ill. Also, there was a nasty scar across his face, make him seem much older than he was.

"Who d' you reckon he is?" Ron hissed over my shoulder.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," said Hermione at once. We all looked at her.

"How d' you know that?" Harry asked, walking inside and sitting far away from the window.

"It's Hermione we're talking about," said Ron as he closed the door. I sat next to Harry, closer to Lupin. "She knows everything!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and I looked up, snorting when I saw the small, old battered case. The words _Professor R. J. Lupin_had been stamped across one corner in peeling letter.

"It's on his case, dunderheads," I muttered amused. I frowned. "But the name sounds familiar..."

"Wonder what he teaches?" Ron said, also frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile.

"That's obvious," Hermione whispered. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts."

I eyed Lupin up and down, a mental image came then, and I imagined the poor man being blown away with the like a leaf. My eye twitched.

"Let's pray he's up for it," I said.

"He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he?" Ron said. "Anyway..." He turned to Harry. "What were you going to tell us?"

Sighing heavily, Harry told us that when he went down the Leaky Cauldron, he heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arguing about his safety, which turned out that the real argument was Sirius Black's escape. According to Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, Black has been obsessing with Harry, repeating over and over how he was at Hogwarts. That as a way of protection, the Ministry had made a deal with Mr. Dumbledore and now Hogwarts was going to be guarded by Azkaban's guardians from now on. Also, he told s why Mr. Weasley had puled him aside

By the time Harry finished, I slumped on my seat, huffing quietly and crossing my arms on my lap.

"Three years on a row, must be a record Potter," I shook my head sighing. "Are you some magnet to trouble or what?"

Annoyed, Harry mirrored my position and glared at me. "I don't look for it at least."

"Oh, Harry!" Hermione cried. "Sirius Black – after you? You have to be very careful -"

"Harry is not thick; is not like he would go looking out for him," said Ron. "Black's a raving, murderous lunatic..."

"You just swayed from the conversation," I pointed out. "But really, I don't think Black would get so near. I mean – Azkaban guards are really frightening from what I've heard."

"Black could evade them again," Ron argued. "No one knows how he got out of Azkaban. No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner, too."

"But they'll catch him, won't they?" Hermione asked. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too..."

"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.

A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. We looked all around the compartment.

"It's coming from your trunk, Harry," Ron said, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled a miniature glass out from between Harry's robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly.

"Is that a _Sneakoscope_?" Hermione asked interested, standing up for a better look.

"Yeah... mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry."

"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" Hermione said shrewdly.

"No!" Ron said right away.

We all stared at him.

"Well... I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys... but how else was I supposed to get Harry's present to him?"

"Stick it back in the trunk," Harry said, "or it'll wake him up."

Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope back in an old sock in Harry's trunk, and sat back down.

"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," Ron said. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."

"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain -"

"It's a Wizarding town," I said. "The only one near Hogwarts, that is."

"Don't care 'bout that. I want to go because of Honeydukes!"

"What's that?"

Ron took a sharp inhale of breath. "It's this sweetshop where they've got _everything_…" A dreamy look came to his face. "Pepper Imps — they make you smoke at the mouth — and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next–"

"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In _Sites of Historical Sorcery_it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain —"

"– and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.

"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?" said Hermione.

"I think it will be good to expand our horizons," I said diplomatically, mentally cheering myself when I saw Hermione agree enthusiastically. "Must be a nice change to get out of Hogwarts once in a while."

" 'spect it will," said Harry glumly. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out."

"What d'you mean?" said Ron.

"I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't either."

Ron looked downright horrified.

"_You're not allowed to come_? But—no way—McGonagall or someone will give you permission—"

Harry gave a hollow laugh while I snorted. McGonagall never favorite anyone.

" - or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle -"

"Ron!" Hermione said sharply. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of school with Black on the loose -"

"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask for permission," Harry said.

"But if _we're_with him," Ron said, "Black wouldn't dare-"

I laughed. It was both cynical and mocking. "Yeah, right! Ron, were thirteen year old kids and Black's a murderer. What we could do against him?"

"Annie's right," said Hermione. I blinked owlishly; it was strange to hear Hermione admit someone else than her was right. "Black _did_ murder a whole bunch of people in a crowded street – with _one_ curse. No, he wouldn't care if the three of us were with Harry."

She started opening the straps to Crookshanks' basket.

"Don't let that thing out," Ron said, but it was too late. Crookshanks jumped out of the basket, stretched, and leapt lightly up onto Ron's knees. The lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away.

"Get out of here!"

"Ron, don't!" Hermione said angrily.

Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. We watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened. People were chasing backward and forward past the door of our compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned toward Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket.

At one o'clock, the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door.

"D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding toward Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."

Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously.

"Er – Professor?" she said. "Excuse me – Professor?"

He didn't move.

"Don't worry, dear," the witch said as she handed Harry and I each a large stack of Cauldron Cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."

"I suppose he _is_ asleep?" Ron said quietly as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean – he hasn't died, has he?"

I hesitantly raised my hand, and left it hovering in front of his mouth. I shook my head, feeling the slight warm air of his breathing on my palm.

"Don't worry – he's breathing."

It didn't matter if he was alive or dead – having Lupin with us had it's benefits. I say so becausejust after it started to rain, we received the glorious visit of the great Draco Malfoy, as always, Crabbe and Goyle flanking his sides.

"Well, look who it is," Malfoy said, looking at Harry and Ron. "Potty and the Weasel."

Crabbe and Goyle chuckled.

"And why we have the honour of such visit?" I shot. "I'll ask again, Malfoy, but don't you have a life? _Real_ friends? I mean – you must have much more important matters that wasting your life with us."

Malfoy glared at me, his cold blue eyes suddenly turning mirthful.

"Oh, Barton, if I were you I wouldn't be talking so lightly," he chuckled. "Do they even know?"

I raised an eyebrow, my eyes narrowing at him.

"I know it was you who set off the basilisk on the mudbloods," he said. My friends and I relaxed, and I even let a smile grace my face.

"And you're still looking at me right in the eye," I tutted. "Either you're brave or stupid. Oh, that's right! You're a snake. You don't have an ounce of courage in your bones," I hissed.

Malfoy was taken aback. Surprise shone on his face and not finding what to say to me, he swiftly turned towards Ron, the sneer already set on place.

"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," he said. "Did your mother die of shock?"

Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. As if on cue, Lupin gave a loud snort, snuggling on his robes.

"Who's that?" Malfoy asked, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted the Professor.

"New teacher," said Harry shortly. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"

Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose.

"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared.

I pursued my lips, watching as Ron sat down and angrily cracked his knuckles.

"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and —"

Ron made a violent gesture in midair.

"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be careful…"

"I don't see why you worry," I muttered and leaned back on my seat, closing my eyes and wrapping myself with my coat. "Lupin's dead to the world for now."

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.

"We must be nearly there," Ron said, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.

The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.

"Great," Ron said, getting up and walking carefully past Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast..."

"We can't be there yet," Hermione said, checking her watch.

"So why're we stopping?"

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.

Harry being the closest one to the door got up to look into the corridor. But the train suddenly came to a jolt and the luggage fell down between us.

Flickering, the lamps went down.


	6. Dementors Aboard

I was hyperventilating. My heart started hammering painfully inside and my breath quickened. I frowned at the dark, barely seeing the odd shapes of my friends.

"What's going on?" Ron asked, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Ouch!" Hermione gasped. "Ron, that was my foot!"

Slowly, I stood up from my seat and my eyes fluttered when I brushed past Harry, but my main goal was the window. With my fingertips, I touched the foggy glass and with morbid fascination, I watched as ice cracks began to form around it. I gently pulled away, but the shape of my hand was still imprinted.

"Bloody hell," Ron whispered.

"There's something out there," I mumbled, pressing my nose on the window. I could've sworn I saw a hooded thing out there, but it was impossible; the train had stopped in the middle of a bridge.

The door of the compartment suddenly opened and I caught sight of the outline of a tall person before it fell. Harry grunted.

"Sorry – d'you know what's going on? Ouch – sorry -"

"Hello, Neville," I said, moving closer to the window to avoid being crushed.

"Annie? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea!" Harry said. "Sit down —"

I heard a hissing sound and a yelp. It sounded like Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," Hermione said. After like five seconds I heard a thud and two squeals of pain.

"Who's that?"

"Who's ___that_?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Ron —"

"Come in and sit down —"

"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "I'm here!" I slightly moved to one side.

"Ouch!" said Neville.

"Oops," I muttered. "My bad, Nev."

"Quiet!" a hoarse voice hissed. Turning my head, I could barely see the shadow of Lupin's frame as he stood up, conjuring a handful of flames on his hand. They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes were wide and alert. "Stay where you are," he ordered and got slowly on his feet. He briefly met my eyes, making him to stop in slight hesitation.

The door slid open, and I cursed. The cold sensation I had felt a few moments ago increased considerably. My eyes widened at the sight of the cloaked figure, towering to the ceiling, the face of the creature hidden by a dark hood. I felt all the warmth that was left on my body leave in an instant. I slammed against the window, sliding down until I was sitting on the floor, but I never stopped looking at the creature.

It had drawn out its hand, as if searching for something. The long scabby fingers closed in the air and he withdrawn it back on his cloak. And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

I felt worse. The air was stuck inside of my throat and withdrew my legs to me, hugging them unconsciously and I tucked my head on my lap.

"_Freaky Ann, freaky Ann, freaky Ann_!" the old chant of the girls at St. Louise's came back, sounding louder than it had been before. I cold still see the girls circling me and smirking at their own success.

The Ron's voice floated to me, saying words I had long forgotten.

"_Everyone knows you hardly socialize with your House, and that you only stick with Hermione because she's the only one not scared of the Gryffindor Ice Princess. __In fact, we all believe you don't have feelings – and only makes sarcastic remarks because you think you're above us_."

"_You Gryffindors are starting to get on my nerves. I had ignored the way you act as the such arrogant prats you're, but this, ____this__ is the last straw! I am ashamed to say I belong to a House full of idiots, dimwits and hypocrites_!" said my voice, younger and naïve than now.

"_So foolish, the both of you_," it was Voldemort."_You thought you could save our little friend, Barton? Ha! You're the same as your mother..._"

"_You keep hiding a lot of things from me. I'm starting to get tire__d__ of that_."

I saw the faces of those who had been petrified, all of them staring at me with fear and disgust, but none of them seemed surprised. It was like if they were expecting me to be guilty. The image swirled, and I saw myself, wearing the choker with the Riddle family coin as a pendant.

And like a whisper in the darkness, I heard the sound of a cold high-pitched laugh.

"_WHY CANT YOU JUST DROP DEAD_?!"

"Anya!"

I shook my head. The lights were functioning again.

It was Professor Lupin whom called me. He had a piece of chocolate on his hand – where had he gotten it? - but he was giving it to me. Taking it hesitantly, I let my eyes wander warily around the crowded compartment. Neville was sitting next to me, white like a paper sheet; right beside him was Ginny, who peered down at me with worry.

Even Ron and Hermione, both sitting across from me with Harry between them, glanced at me with strange expressions.

I felt like if I were an animal on a zoo.

Lupin spoke, "Are you alright?" his voice was so full of tenderness it took me by surprise. Taken aback by the gentleness on his eyes – hazel – I looked down at my lap, twisting the chocolate on my hands.

"Yeah," I mumbled, though I wasn't right. At all. "What was that thing?"

"A dementor," he answered, giving chocolate to everyone. "One of Azkaban's guards.

Everyone stared at him when he crumpled the empty chocolate wrapper and put it on his pocket.

"Eat, it will help you," although his words were directed at everyone, Lupin had his full attention on me. "I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…"

He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.

"Are you sure you're both okay?" Hermione asked, watching the two of us anxiously.

"I don't get it...What happened?" Harry asked, wiping off his face.

"Well—that thing—the dementor—stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) — and you—you —" Hermione said.

"I though the two of you were having fits or something," Ron said, still looking scared. "You both went sort of rigid and Harry, you fell out of your seat and then started twitching -"

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the dementor, and pulled out his wand," Hermione said, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away..."

"You started muttering," said Neville quietly to me, his eyes darting anxiously between the door and myself. "I didn't quite catch what it was but then you were rocking on the floor. Either way, it was horrible," he said loudly the last part. I frowned. It wasn't normal, the way he carefully avoided my eyes. I knew Neville had some sort of crush on me but I wouldn't bet that was the reason. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt weird," Ron said, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again..."

I slammed my head against the wall, loudly, and stood up. I quickly got out of there and made my way right to the bathrooms. Once I slammed the door shut, I let myself fall on my knees and cried.

* * *

I raised my head abruptly, hearing the soft knocks coming from the other side of the door. I harshly wiped my cheeks with my sleeves, touching them gently and with just feeling how warm they were, I knew my face was all red.

"Miss Barton?" it was Professor Lupin. How he knew my name was a mystery to me but I didn't ponder much about it, being more worried about the fact I felt I could throw up at any second. "Are you there? Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine," I chocked out, massaging my sudden hoarse throat and standing. I opened the door slowly, peering outside with one wary eye. Lupin was crouching down slightly so he was at eye level with me. He still looked tired but the same alert look from before was still there.

"I brought your robes," he explained, and I just noticed that he indeed had only my Gryffindor robe with him. "Miss Granger thought it would be better if you just used your robe instead of your full uniform," he smiled. "No one ever notices what the clothes are underneath, fortunately."

I smiled, but I was sure it was more of a grimace so I stopped. Frowning heavily, I extended my hands and he handed me the robe. I pulled it around my shoulders and tied it tightly. Looking up at him, I couldn't help but blurt out, "How did you know my name?"

He blinked. He was more startled than annoyed and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"I'm friends with Thea," he said. Now it was my turn to blink.

"Oh. _Ohhh_!" I pointed at him, almost jumping in excitement. "You're _Remus_. The one who sent me the gift!"

"Actually, I was only returning something that didn't belong to me," he said, chuckling. "But, yes."

"Well, nice to finally meet ya," I said, shaking his hand eagerly and almost throwing him off-balance. I scowled then. "I would've liked it wouldn't have been on these circumstances, though."

"Agreed. Let's get off the train; I believe your friends are waiting for you."

I haven't noticed the train had stopped moving but, when you're crying your heart out, who would?

* * *

I stared at the stagecoach with wide eyes. I felt my hands shaking on my sides but still, I didn't make any sound. The trio just walked past me and climbed in, not looking at the creature standing proudly between the carriage shaft. It was like a horse like-creature, but it didn't have flesh. Quite the contrary, it had a black coat clinging on its boneless figure, not hiding anything at all. Its head was dragonish and the eyes were pupil-lees, completely wild and resembling those of a blind man. Bat-like wings sprouted from each wither, and I realized wildly – _it was staring at me_.

Uncomfortable, I looked away, only to find that all the carriages behind this one had the same creatures pulling them. It was slightly disturbing and eerie, now that I tried to look more closely, they seemed more like silhouettes to my hazel eyes.

"Annie? Aren't you getting in?" said Harry, his head poking out of the small window. He resembled a crazy Einstein with his raven hair all tousled like if he had been awoken now. I nodded, jumping inside and eager to not see the creatures again.

In our way, though the tiny windows, we spotted two dementors guarding the entrance. I felt cold again, but I managed to ignore it.

It didn't end there, of course. The unpleasant and familiar thing of every year came for a second time.

"You _fainted__, _Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually _fainted_?" Malfoy elbowed past me and Hermione to block our way into the castle.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron snarled.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" Malfoy said loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

"Is there a problem?" a mild voice asked. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage.

Malfoy gave Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the worn out suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no – er_ – __Professor_," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.

"Insolent brat," I muttered disgusted.

Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the four of us joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

I threw one last look back to the big doors but at that moment a voice called, "Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Miss Barton!"

Professor McGonagall's voice echoed like a rumble above the air. She hadn't changed at all. The same robes, the same hair-do, and the same severe expression I had seen on the Orphanage. It was actually a relief to see her, looking the same as always; it kind of gave me a sense of security.

"There's no need to look so worried – I just want a word in my office," she said. "Move along there, Weasley."

When we got to her office, we were immediately ushered to take a seat in front of her desk. Once she settled in her own chair, McGonagall said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you both were taken ill on the train, Potter and Barton."

I didn't even bother to reply, not that there was a chance because at that moment, Madam Pomfrey came in.

Harry flushed. "I'm fine. I don't need anything —"

I waved. "'llo Poppy."

"Why I am not surprised its you two?" said the matron exasperatedly, bending down so she could see both of our eyes at the same time. I wasn't so sure if she was either glaring or analyzing us. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"

I nodded.

"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall. Both women exchanged dark looks and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"Setting Dementors around a school," she muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. "He won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate —"

"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly.

She shot him a look. "Of course you are not," she said, fully turning to me and narrowing her eyes at my pale complexion. "You, though, look like if you had seen a hoard of Inferi, Barton."

"May as well say I look like crap," I told her bluntly. Madam Pomfrey smiled, clapping my shoulder gently.

"I see you haven't lost your sense of humor, dear. That's good."

"What do they need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should they perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"_I'm fine_!" said Harry, jumping up.

I grunted, rolling my shoulders and pulling out what was left of Lupin's chocolate. "Speak for yourself," I grumbled between bites.

"Both should have some chocolate," said Pomfrey.

"I've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. I nodded, waving my own bar in the air. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.

"Yes," said Harry.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."

We both stood up.

"Oh, no! You're going to stay here, Barton!" said Pomfrey sharply.

I gaped down at her, seeing as I was taller. "What? Why!"

"Professor Lupin told me you that you had a different response to the dementor's presence."

"Well, Professor Lupin is a bit nosy if you ask me!"

"It surprises me more that you haven't gone into shock already," said Pomfrey with a frown, grabbing my head and examining my eyes closely, like a hawk would do. "Most people would, and with back story..."

I looked away and stepped back, avoiding her eyes.

"I'm not 'most people'," I said quietly. Although I was starting to get used to it, I didn't like it when people started comparing me to my parents. I stand still about what I've said before: I'm proud of them, but I am not them. But to me, it seemed no one couldn't help but keep glancing back at the past, wishing with all their hearts that everything was different.

I was a few of them, of course, but I don't look back. I just want to keep going on, get a hold of myself and live. That's all I wish for.

When I got out of the office, I saw Harry leaning against the wall, focused on the flames of the torch across him. When I closed the door, he quickly turned his head at me. He didn't need to speak, and neither did I. I nodded, smiling slightly when he nodded back.

We both weren't alright. But we sure as hell would be.

* * *

"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!" By the time we arrived at the Great Hall, Professor Flitwick (a tiny man with a shock of white hair and Charms teacher) was already rolling the scroll with the newbies' names and took both the Sorting Hat and the stool away from sight.

When we sat down, Ron hissed, "What was all that about?" but we didn't answer him. The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, had just stood up from his throne-like chair. The man hadn't changed one bit; his white beard was tucked into his belt and his striking blue eyes gazed upon us with calm. The only different thing about him were his robes; they were a soft blue color, nearing to gray, which was a complete change from the bright-colored robes he had used since I met him.

"Welcome!" Dumbledore said, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

He paused, looking like if he was looking for the right words to say. It was quite obvious that he didn't like the Ministry's decision but Mr. Dumbledore had no choice but follow.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and I saw Harry and Ron glanced at each other. "It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.

A few seats down, Percy puffed out his chest.

"On a happier note," Dumbledore continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

Lupin, compared to all the teachers, looked quite shabby. The applause wasn't as loud as it had been for Gilderoy Lockhart (our last teacher) and I honestly couldn't blame them. Though, those who had been in the compartment, including myself, did applaud loudly and I even wolf-whistled, making Lupin smile in amusement at my antics.

"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed.

I did so, and was quite startled to see the loathing expression on his face as he looked at Lupin down the table. Usually, the look was reserved mostly to Harry, and in occasions, me, but to a new teacher? We all were aware he wanted the DADA teacher job, but that wasn't enough explanation for his reaction.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore said, "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties."

I shared a stunned look with the trio, joining in the tumultuous applause from our House shortly. Hagrid was ruby-red faced with a wide grin staring down at his hands.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, we saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," Dumbledore said. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before us filled suddenly with food and drink. Smiling, I began to grab and place everything I could on my plate. To hell with manners!

It was one of the most delicious feasts I had ever been on, but when you are hungry, everything is delicious. Mostly though, when I ate, I could feel the warmth returning to my body and all thought of what happened outside the castle flew away.

"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as we neared the teachers' table.

"All down ter you four," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at us. "Can' believe it… great man, Dumbledore… came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough… It's what I always wanted…"

Overcome with emotion, Hagrid took the tablecloth by mistake and used it as a napkin. McGonagall shooed us away.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower. A large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"

"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom saddly in front of me. He was a round-faced boy with brown hair and brown eyes. Now that we weren't in the compartment, I noticed he had grown taller than myself, almost being the same stature as Ron.

"Why don't you write them down?" I said to him.

Neville jumped and as he turned around, I saw his face turning red. "Er – I'm not sure about that. What if I lose the parchment too?"

I shrugged. "Just try to keep it inside your robes every time. Or not. It's not easy to forget, so don't worry."

He nodded. "Thanks."

Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. I climbed the spiral stair and we reached our familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, two girls who were known for the gossip, cooed over at Crookshanks. I smiled. Both Hermione and I didn't spend much time with other girls other than each other and Ginny, and seeing her talking and smile with Parvati and Lavender, made me realize that she was slowly starting to break from her shell. We all were.

Just before we went to sleep, Hermione asked me if I was alright. I told her I would be, and she knew that was the only answer she would get. It wasn't that I was hiding things from her... okay, I was keeping things from her, but so she did! I saw a small golden pendant hanging around her neck after she finished talking to McGonagall and I had a theory of what it could be.

I kissed Otto on his small forehead as he slept on my bed drawer. He looked more tired than before and the Witch's words keep coming back. He didn't have much time left; he was going to leave me.

I shook the sad feeling away and fell on my bed with a sigh. I was back at home, but with the dementors hanging around... I felt everything wasn't going to be the same.


End file.
